Author: 颜凉雨 / Yan Liang Yu

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 21

While drawing lots, Ran Lin was hoping to share a room with Xia Xinran, or at least Zhang Beichen or Gu Jie. It’s not that he had anything against Tang Xiaoyu, but having never met him before, their first interaction might inevitably lead to awkward moments with no topics to talk about.

But even Tang Xiaoyu was a better option than Lu Yiyao.

Regarding the issue of gaining popularity, objectively speaking, it was already a closed chapter. He had apologized to Lu Yiyao, and Lu Yiyao didn’t hold a grudge. He stopped provoking, and Lu Yiyao didn’t dwell on it, so the dust had settled.

However, emotionally, the not-so-happy memories of their acquaintance still lingered. The saying “a smile can bury all past grievances*” is touching because most people can’t do it. It’s already quite impressive to nod in acknowledgment upon meeting again, expecting a deep brotherly bond is simply unreasonable. So, while it was fine when all five of them were together, the thought of being alone in a closed space with Lu Yiyao made him feel a bit pressured.

*Refers to individuals who have had past conflicts or misunderstandings meet again and are able to share a genuine smile, signifying the dissolution of past animosities and the beginning of a new understanding or reconciliation. The key point is that these people have the grace to forgive and move on from the past, which a lot of people can’t.

Moreover, based on the experience of the first three episodes, the filming usually lasted until about 10 or 11 p.m. After that, when the cameramen would leave, he and Lu Yiyao would enter a phase of “true selves”—and God knows what they could talk about. The thought of that desolate scene with a cold wind blowing through…

But fate, that teasing demon, is always so magical and unpredictable.

Seeing the Tigger in Lu Yiyao’s hand, Ran Lin felt like crying.

But he couldn’t cry, because after a moment of surprise, Lu Yiyao turned and looked straight at him. “We’re in the same room.”

The mainland star gave his judgment, and his tone sounded quite… accepting?

Ran Lin thought he must be daydreaming, but since the olive branch had been extended, he had to respond with kindness.

With that in mind, Ran Lin waved his round tag and gently smiled at his roommate for the night. “Please take care of me, Tigger.”

After Lu Yiyao, Gu Jie and Tang Xiaoyu respectively drew Anna and Minnie, naturally finding their roommates.

Xia Xinran was reasonably happy with this arrangement, spreading his arms. “Come on, Sister Anna.”

Gu Jie, standing still, flatly refused. “I’m afraid of getting frostbite.”

Ran Lin quietly reminded his friend. “Frostbite can be cured with a true love’s kiss…”

Gu Jie was petrified.

Xia Xinran gave Ran Lin a sharp look. “Ran Lin, you’ve changed…”

Ran Lin smirked, but his smiling eyes made it hard to get mad at him.

Lu Yiyao suddenly had an epiphany about the unsolved mystery from yesterday. “You weren’t cramming Disney stuff yesterday, were you?”

Ran Lin was surprised. “How did you know?”

Saying that he crammed Disney just from the true love’s kiss remark seemed far-fetched, especially since everyone had seen <Frozen>.

Lu Yiyao facepalmed. “Is it that hard to guess…”

Yesterday’s secret strategy Weibo and today’s quick guess about the Disney hotel, anyone could analyze that Ran Lin was doing his homework in that direction.

The two, who completely missed each other’s points, could have continued the discussion, but the production team couldn’t wait any longer. Seeing the groups formed, they immediately arranged for the guests to get on the bus and head straight to the Disney Resort.

The journey was swift, with the director’s team occasionally coordinating via walkie-talkies with the staff in each car, so the two soon forgot about their conversation.

The Disneyland Hotel, located south of Disneyland and separated only by Wishing Star Lake, offers views of the Disney Castle through the windows across the lake.

Ran Lin had learned all this while doing his research. But no matter how much you read or how many photos you see, they’re all someone else’s experiences and flat images. Only when actually sitting on the boat at the lakeshore, looking at the distant dreamy castle, and slowly recalling those splendid fairy tales—Snow White, Peter Pan, Beauty and the Beast, Toy Story, Alice in Wonderland… did Ran Lin truly understand why people linger and return here.

You might not like those soft and sweet fairy tales.

But there’s always something that hits the childhood heart you thought you didn’t have.

Theme parks are made for dreaming.

The more you cooperate with it, the more you immerse yourself, the more beautiful the dream becomes.

“Do you also want to take a picture together?” Lu Yiyao, having received the room card from the staff, asked Ran Lin, who was still looking at the “Goofy” that had appeared in the lobby a while ago.

Ran Lin glanced at the cartoon character now surrounded by a crowd of guests in the lobby and sighed, “I probably can’t get in line.”

The lobby was mostly filled with guests with children, so the cartoon characters had much more appeal than the so-called stars.

Lu Yiyao chuckled. “Then let’s not long for it. We can see anyone we want when we go into the park tomorrow.”

Ran Lin looked at him. “Are you sure the production team will let us relax like that?”

Lu Yiyao, realizing the reality. “…I admit, I shouldn’t have brought up such a sad topic.”

The two exchanged a look, their smiles revealing a hint of weariness.

The “luxurious scenic room” described by the director wasn’t that luxurious, but rather quaint and delicate. The room had intricately patterned carpets, brightly colored cartoon paintings, transparent half-floor-to-ceiling windows, two spacious single beds with Disney Castle and Tinker Bell shining stars on the headboards, and vintage-style lamps hanging above.

“It’s really cute.” Lu Yiyao quickly finished surveying the room and gave an appropriate comment.

Ran Lin casually strolled towards the TV, hinting, “There’s something even cuter…”

Before Lu Yiyao could react, Ran Lin quickly opened the cabinet under the TV!

The entire cabinet door fell down, revealing a small children’s bed, and the interior of the so-called cabinet was a mural of a sleeping Mickey Mouse, which was absolutely adorable!

Ran Lin looked at Lu Yiyao expectantly, his eyes shining like the stars above the bed.

Lu Yiyao was indeed surprised, staring at the magical little bed for a while before genuinely saying, “It’s very cute.”

Ran Lin was defeated by his response. “Apart from cute, do you have any other adjectives…”

Lu Yiyao racked his brain and finally found another word. “Interesting?”

Ran Lin slumped onto the small bed, deflated. He had come to realize that this person, Lu Yiyao, simply lacked a childlike heart. Lu Yiyao understood the disappointment in Ran Lin’s eyes, although it was well-concealed. But to be disliked for this seemed rather unjust.

“This place is indeed quite dreamy,” Lu Yiyao felt the need to defend himself, “but Disney’s most classic themes are princess dreams, like Jasmine, Belle, Merida, and Elsa. It’s normal for me not to be interested.”

The implication was that it was strange for Ran Lin to be so interested.

Ran Lin was a bit confused. “If you’re not interested, how did you remember so many names…” He had crammed for two days and still couldn’t match all those names to their characters.

Lu Yiyao paused, surprised by his own “knowledge reserve”, but quickly he recalled the culprit from his memory. “When I was in middle school, I had a roommate who was crazy about Disney. He watched all Disney animations, including the very early ones, and often rewatched them. Sometimes, out of curiosity, I would watch a bit with him.”

This was unexpected for Ran Lin.

But once Lu Yiyao mentioned it, Ran Lin recalled, “I remember you studied abroad in middle school, right?”

Lu Yiyao hesitated before simply replying with a “yeah”, then quickly stood up and walked to the half-floor-to-ceiling window, as if expectantly asking, “Will there be fireworks at the castle later?”

“I don’t know.” Ran Lin cooperated in changing the topic. “We can wait and see.”

In the end, there were no fireworks at the castle.

But the light show was quite interesting, watching the distant twinkling castle through the window.

But Ran Lin knew that Lu Yiyao wasn’t really looking forward to these.

He just needed something to break the previous conversation and end the topic about his past that he didn’t want to delve into.

Ran Lin regretted being too talkative.

Perhaps because Lu Yiyao’s attitude was exceptionally “friendly” today, he had unconsciously relaxed.

The filming crew left precisely at 22:00.

Ran Lin thanked them, and Lu Yiyao wished them good night.

As the hotel door closed again, both men threw themselves onto their beds, one lying flat on his back, staring at the ceiling, and the other face down, his face against the sheet.

“Who’s going first?” Lu Yiyao’s question was abrupt, and even he felt like he needed to add something.

But Ran Lin immediately answered, “You go first. I’m slow, so you won’t have to wait.”

It’s a special feeling when thoughts align.

The last time Lu Yiyao felt this way was with Huo Yuntao. Often, after saying just a few words, the other person would understand the whole story. But Huo Yuntao had been his close friend throughout middle school and remained in contact to this day. It was miraculous that he and Ran Lin, who had only known each other for a few days, had such a connection…

“Aren’t we talking about taking a shower?” Ran Lin saw that Lu Yiyao didn’t get up after his response but instead gave him a peculiar look, thinking he might have guessed wrong, and clarified again.

“Oh, yes, that’s what we’re talking about.” Lu Yiyao came back to his senses, got out of bed, and walked towards the bathroom. Just as he was about to enter, he stopped and turned back. “I also take a while to shower, so don’t rush me. It’s dangerous if I slip and hit my head on the bathtub.”

Ran Lin couldn’t help but laugh. “You only had to say, ‘don’t rush me.’ You don’t need to put yourself in such a gory scenario just to be persuasive.”

Lu Yiyao shook his head, giving him a gentle smile. “I don’t like using imperatives.”

As the sound of water filled the bathroom, Ran Lin was still immersed in Lu Yiyao’s smile.

He’s unfairly handsome!

Ran Lin had known Lu Yiyao was handsome, but today he seemed especially so.

Was it because their interaction exceeded his expectations, making him view Lu Yiyao with gratitude?

He had expected awkwardness and discomfort in their alone time, but it turned out surprisingly harmonious. Today, Lu Yiyao was gentler and more approachable than before.

During the day, Ran Lin thought it was his imagination.

But now, he was sure there had been a subtle change in Lu Yiyao.

Or perhaps, this was the real Lu Yiyao?

Although Lu Yiyao had said he wasn’t quick in the shower, he didn’t actually spend much time in the bathroom before coming out in a bathrobe.

Ran Lin, while playing with his phone, naturally looked up when he heard the sound, and then… he was frozen. It was as if he was spellbound, not moving an inch, not even blinking, completely captivated by the man before him.

There couldn’t be a sexier man in the world than Lu Yiyao.

At that moment, Ran Lin truly believed it.

His wet hair was still dripping with droplets, a few rebellious strands playfully curling over his forehead, hiding his handsome brows but not his peach blossom eyes. His lips were slightly thick, but just the right amount—the kind you’d want to bite into…

Ran Lin, you beast!

The gay man suddenly realized what he was thinking and internally sounded the alarm.

That was dangerous—he was actually having inappropriate thoughts about Lu Yiyao. He must be crazy…

Surely their earlier mental alignment was a fluke, Lu Yiyao thought, because right now he couldn’t figure out what Ran Lin was thinking. Ran Lin first stared at him as if he was a predator, and now he was avoiding eye contact, looking like he wanted to punch someone.

“I’m going to take a shower.”

The abrupt statement, though spoken gently, seemed out of place. To Lu Yiyao, it seemed as if Ran Lin had sprung out of bed and brushed past him.

“Be careful, the floor is wet…” Lu Yiyao didn’t finish his warning before the bathroom door slammed shut.

What happened?

Lu Yiyao, while drying his hair, frowned, his gaze accidentally landed on Ran Lin’s phone left on the bed. He had an epiphany.

He must have seen those comments on Weibo again.

Lu Yiyao sat down, his previously lightened mood turning heavy.

Throughout the day’s filming, he had wondered whether Ran Lin was truly okay or just putting on a brave face and why he was so preoccupied with him. In the end, he could only conclude it was curiosity.

Just like when he asked his assistant about being criticized on Weibo, it stemmed from the same curiosity. Lu Yiyao himself didn’t pay much attention to or have strong feelings towards Weibo comments, so he wanted to know the general reaction to negative comments on Weibo and then use this to gauge Ran Lin’s response.

And what would he do after figuring it out?

Lu Yiyao thought it was probably just to confirm whether his imagined image of Ran Lin crying pitifully was accurate or not.

Hot water freely poured from the showerhead, showering down on him, causing a shiver. Ran Lin stood motionless, letting the water flow over him, and gradually, with the rising steam, he began to relax.

Lu Yiyao was poisonous.

If before, the charm was fragmented in his appearances on TV, his seriousness on the deserted island, and his tolerance when saying enough was enough, now, after the shower, these aspects had merged into a whole. It was like Tony Stark donning his armor and finally becoming Iron Man.

Ran Lin was a die-hard fan of Iron Man.

“In the end,” Ran Lin poked his head with his finger, muttering under his breath, “you’re just superficial…”

But another voice in his head asked, “Would you react the same way if it was Xia Xinran coming out of the shower?”

Ran Lin tried hard to imagine it and found that in his mind, Xia Xinran opening his bathrobe would always lead to a blizzard, with him dancing and singing “Let it Go” as he did.

The shower was warm.

Ran Lin felt frozen by his own imagination.

Hoping that Lu Yiyao would be asleep by the time he finished his shower, Ran Lin dawdled in the bathroom for over an hour until he felt overwhelmingly sleepy. He then quickly grabbed the shower gel and finished up.

After washing, he spent a long time in the bathroom, drying his hair until every strand was light and airy. Then, wrapped in his bathrobe, he tiptoed out of the bathroom.

The lights in the room were off, leaving only the warm yellow light of the corridor lamp by the bathroom door. Ran Lin stood under the lamp, unconsciously glancing at Lu Yiyao’s bed…

Click.

The vintage lamp hanging above Lu Yiyao’s bed lit up perfectly timed, as if illuminated by Ran Lin’s gaze.

Under the vintage lamp sat Lu Yiyao at the head of the bed, looking a bit tired but still very awake. Under the corridor light stood Ran Lin, his face slightly flushed from the long exposure to heat, now wavering with uncertainty.

“What are you standing there for?” Lu Yiyao asked, yawning involuntarily.

Ran Lin, watching him, yawned too, and finally, amidst the yawn, he managed to ask somewhat naturally, “Why haven’t you slept yet?” He then quickly walked to the bed and sat down…

Huh?

His butt suddenly felt a jab.

Ran Lin reached in to retrieve the “culprit” from between his butt and the mattress, only to find it was his phone. He felt a moment of relief; sitting directly on the screen wouldn’t only be costly but also embarrassing.

Lu Yiyao, holding back laughter, said, “I was just about to warn you, but you were too quick.”

Ran Lin, flustered, shook his phone. “It’s okay. My phone is very sturdy. It even survived falling into a bowl of instant noodles.”

Imagining the scene, Lu Yiyao almost smelled the beef broth. “What about the noodles?”

Ran Lin chuckled. “I had just finished eating. Only the soup was left when it fell in.”

“That timing…” Lu Yiyao admired, but before he could finish his thought, he pondered something deeper and advised, “Actually, you don’t always need to be glued to your phone. You can dine with the TV on or listen to music or something.”

Ran Lin didn’t think much of it, casually replying, “The phone is more convenient.”

Lu Yiyao didn’t know how to continue; any response seemed forced, so he changed the topic. “How did you know we were coming to Disneyland?”

Ran Lin realized that Lu Yiyao seemed prepared for a long conversation. Otherwise, it would have been more straightforward to say goodnight earlier.

But what did Lu Yiyao have to talk about with him so late at night? It didn’t make sense that Lu Yiyao would suddenly consider him a true friend after they had just started getting along better…

“Hm?” Lu Yiyao noticed Ran Lin’s drifting attention and reminded him.

“Oh, I actually didn’t know,” Ran Lin quickly answered, coming back to his senses. “I was just idle and thought I’d do some homework, just in case. Didn’t expect to actually guess it right.”

Lu Yiyao nodded, seemingly finding this explanation reasonable and believable.

Ran Lin internally sighed with relief, hoping Lu Yiyao would quickly feel sleepy and go to bed.

In late winter Shanghai, the indoor chill was bone-piercing. Despite the air heater, Ran Lin sneezed unintentionally. He quickly grabbed a pillow to lean against the headboard, mimicking Lu Yiyao, and pulled the blanket over him, feeling a bit warmer. Just as he settled under the blanket, he heard Lu Yiyao say, “That’s nice.”

Ran Lin looked at him blankly, unsure if he was complimenting the blanket or his sneeze. But Lu Yiyao was saying, “I don’t even have a moment to breathe, let alone do homework.”

Ran Lin was taken aback, realizing that conversations with Lu Yiyao required full attention, or you’d lose track of the topic.

But despite his internal complaint, he sincerely said, “Being busy is a good thing. Many people wish they could be busy. Like me, I only have one show a week. My schedule is so empty, I can’t bear to look at it.”

“When your schedule gets so packed you can’t write everything down, you’ll know how precious holidays are.” Lu Yiyao shared his own feelings. “Now, I can only sleep in waiting rooms. As soon as I get off the plane, it’s straight to work. Sometimes, if the fan crowd at the airport gets too uncontrollable, the airport staff will ask me to take a different exit or find a way to avoid them. It’s like being a thief.”

“No wonder you used a body double that time at the airport.” Ran Lin said this without thinking, naturally continuing the conversation, but as soon as he finished, he wanted to kick himself for bringing it up.

“Yet, you still caught me in the end,” Lu Yiyao said with a light, teasing tone.

Ran Lin was taken aback, not quite grasping his meaning. “Huh?”

Lu Yiyao hadn’t meant to dig up the past; since the matter was over, he didn’t mind and even joked about it. But seeing Ran Lin’s feigned ignorance, he felt a bit displeased. “I mean, even though I used a body double, you still cornered me, didn’t you?”

Ran Lin blinked weakly and then said feebly, “That was a misunderstanding…”

Lu Yiyao involuntarily furrowed his brows, his gaze fixed on Ran Lin, trying to spot any lies on his face. But soon, he realized there were none. Despite Ran Lin’s meek demeanor, his eyes didn’t waver, so Lu Yiyao’s displeasure slowly turned into uncertainty. “…Really a misunderstanding?”

Ran Lin felt wronged enough to cry.

He sat upright, facing Lu Yiyao’s bed, with his legs crossed, and earnestly explained, “It really was a misunderstanding at first. I just wanted to pick up a fan’s light stick that had fallen on the ground and throw it in the trash.”

Lu Yiyao: “…”

Ran Lin: “Err, after picking it up, of course, I didn’t have the heart to throw it away. The light stick was made with so much care…”

“I was at a loss.” Lu Yiyao also sat up, mimicking Ran Lin’s posture, facing his “roommate” for a seated conversation, somewhat helplessly and amusedly. “I was stewing over it for days, thinking I’d been caught in a series of traps.”

“No, it’s normal for you to be upset.” The truth now clear, Ran Lin relaxed and candidly said, “The subsequent hype and fermentation were all done by my side. Otherwise, a misunderstanding wouldn’t have caused such a stir.”

“I know that.” Lu Yiyao was surprisingly calm. “I’ve been used for clout before. I understand how these things are hyped and how trends are led. I was angry at myself for having been through this so many times and still not being cautious enough.”

“Trust me,” Ran Lin said earnestly, almost to the point of being heartfelt. “I was also stunned when you pulled me over.”

Lu Yiyao smiled. “I believe you now. Thinking back, so many fans were misled by the body double, you managed to see through it, pretended to pick up a light stick to be caught on camera, and when I came out, you didn’t initiate anything, didn’t even call out, waiting for me to recognize you and take a photo with you… It’s basically infeasible, I thought too much.”

Ran Lin was amazed by the explanation. “Not just too much. It was perfectly interlocked, flawless.”

Lu Yiyao, embarrassed, showed a rare, self-deprecating smile, appearing straightforward and naive.

After a moment, he became serious, looking earnestly at Ran Lin, and apologized sincerely, “I misunderstood you about the light stick. I apologize.”

Ran Lin was taken aback, shaking his head quickly. “Don’t apologize to me. It makes me feel like I should jump into Wishing Star Lake.”

Lu Yiyao laughed out loud, finding Ran Lin particularly endearing, but insisted, “It’s only fair.”

Ran Lin was genuinely impressed.

After this exchange, he not only felt pressure-free around Lu Yiyao but even wanted to enlighten his companion. “You can’t be like this. You said it yourself, I’m not the first to use you. Haven’t you ever wondered why everyone chooses you?”

“I’m easy to use, I guess,” Lu Yiyao answered without hesitation.

Ran Lin was surprised. “You knew?”

“Every time a work is released, there’s a rumor with the female lead, and promotional articles from the production fly everywhere. It’s not hard to guess.” Lu Yiyao sighed with a smile. “But you’re the first male artist to tie me into a CP for hype.”

Ran Lin bowed his head in shame.

Lu Yiyao, smiling, said nonchalantly, “That’s how it is in the industry. Everyone hypes each other up, and after a while, you get used to it. So, I was only upset about being tricked; if I hadn’t been, just being used for hype would have been nothing new.”

Ran Lin looked up at him, feeling a bit sorry. “That sounds so pitiful…”

Lu Yiyao shrugged, casually saying, “It doesn’t matter. Maybe being popular is a sin in itself.”

Ran Lin: “…”

Lu Yiyao: “Hm?”

Ran Lin: “If Xia Xinran were here, he would be impressed by your deep insight… and then join me in beating you up.”

Lu Yiyao was momentarily stunned, then realized in hindsight that his words indeed sounded like he was asking for a beating. But he genuinely wasn’t showing off; he was just stating facts. Even if he weren’t popular today, seeing the current state of affairs, he would have come to the same conclusion.

Yao Hong once said that, with his unambitious nature, it was incredible that he rose to fame. Lu Yiyao admitted luck played a part, along with some other factors, but what frustrated him most wasn’t the murky dealings in the industry, but the fact that he had made some achievements amidst it all, yet he didn’t feel the sense of accomplishment he had expected.

What did he really want? To stand at the pinnacle of the entertainment industry’s pyramid and become a superstar? He had been searching for twenty-four years and couldn’t be sure because he hadn’t reached that point yet.

He once asked Huo Yuntao seriously what his dream was. His friend looked at him for a long time before saying, “Are you sick?”

Lu Yiyao’s mind wandered again, a habit Ran Lin was now used to. After setting the alarm on his phone and putting it on silent charge, he softly reminded his “roommate”, “Let’s sleep early. Tomorrow is another day of battle.”

Lu Yiyao snapped back to reality, nodding. “Yeah, tomorrow should be fun.”

Ran Lin had already laid down but turned to Lu Yiyao and said, “You noticed too, right? The production team is getting better at this. The freeze card this afternoon, I almost laughed out loud when I touched it. I was thinking, how frustrated the person who gets frozen by me will be. I didn’t expect you all to come in a group.”

Lu Yiyao remembered the scene and couldn’t help but smile, but he soon thought of something else and said meaningfully, “This episode should look good when it’s edited. Disneyland itself is a very effective setting.”

Ran Lin joked, “Your mansion last episode wasn’t bad either.”

Lu Yiyao, uncharacteristically not arguing, continued, “So the reputation should improve.”

Ran Lin had been trying not to think about the audience’s reaction, so he simply replied, “Mm.”

Lu Yiyao finally brought up the topic he was concerned about. “About that Weibo…”

“I uninstalled it,” Ran Lin quickly responded, his tone sounding a bit bitter, then quickly switched to a joking tone. “If our show’s reputation turns around, you’ll have to scroll through the comments for me.”

Lu Yiyao took a moment to comprehend, then asked uncertainly, “Uninstalled?”

“Yeah.” Ran Lin scratched his head embarrassedly, dropping the act and speaking frankly. “I uninstalled it the night after the premiere. Of course, since I stirred it up myself, I can’t blame others for mocking it, but it was still a lot of pressure to see.”

“Oh…” Lu Yiyao didn’t know what to say, and after a while, he finally said, “That’s good…”

With the hardest part said, Ran Lin decided to share his realization with Lu Yiyao. “I discovered something. If you keep scrolling through Weibo, it feels like it contains the whole world. But once you stop, it’s just a social media platform. Life and the world don’t change.”

Lu Yiyao wanted to say that he had always felt that way, so even if he occasionally scrolled through comments, he didn’t take those emotionally charged opinions to heart. But he realized he and Ran Lin were different. They reached the same conclusion, but their journeys and feelings about it were entirely different.

Ran Lin tried to forget.

He simply didn’t care.

So, Ran Lin uninstalled Weibo and refrained from discussing those specific harsh words. And Lu Yiyao, who recently scrolled through Weibo every day, still hardly felt any emotional disturbance.

The only disturbance he felt was when he saw particularly harsh comments, empathizing with Ran Lin’s feelings, making him uncomfortable. Now, he had his answer—Ran Lin uninstalled Weibo, not completely immune but objectively cutting off the source of negativity. But he didn’t feel the satisfaction of having his curiosity fulfilled.

“Goodnight.” Ran Lin decided not to wait any longer. He turned off the light after speaking.

This time, the response from the next bed came quickly—a faint “Goodnight”—and the light went out.

With the room completely dark, Ran Lin closed his eyes, trying to shake off the jumbled thoughts “his roommate” had stirred up again. Gradually, he finally fell into a peaceful sleep.

Hearing the even breathing from the next bed slow down, Lu Yiyao finally understood.

His unusual behavior these past days wasn’t really about being curious about Ran Lin’s reaction to the comments on Weibo. What he really wanted to see was Ran Lin being like him, not caring about those comments.

But why did he insist that Ran Lin follow his example? The only explanation Lu Yiyao could think of was vanity…

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